Impossible Gift
by minormodifications
Summary: Sengoku has something to deliver to Law after Dressrosa... from Corazon? Written for Trafalgar Law's birthday, October 6th.


The rubble hovered dangerously above the two men. Law grit his teeth and spat out a frustrated curse. He had wasted too much time speaking with Sengoku and now he needed to get back to his allies quickly so they could flee Dressrosa and the brewing attack by Fujitora. He summoned his room and was about to teleport back to the eastern port, but a large hand dropped onto his shoulder, stopping him.

"Trafalgar Law, one who bears the secret name of 'D,' I cannot allow you to leave without giving you this," Sengoku said, releasing Law's shoulder and reaching into his marine overcoat. He dug around for a moment before pulling out a small sun-bleached parcel. "This turned up in my office a few weeks after Rosinante died. There was a note on it asking me to pass it on to you if we ever met."

Sengoku held the package out to Law, who reached up to take it with a trembling hand. He was confused. Corazon had sent Sengoku something to pass on to him? He looked up, the question on the tip of his tongue, but when his eyes met Sengoku's stern gaze, his words dissolved. He looked down at the envelope in his hand, tucked it into his coat, and then looked back up at the former fleet admiral. Sengoku's expression was rigid, but his Adam's apple bobbed in a thick swallow.

"Get out of here! Rosinante gave his life for you, and I won't have yours end on this godforsaken island," Sengoku grumbled, grabbing his monkey by the hand and walking away from Law. But the elder paused just a moment more. The debris began to fall around him, but he paid it no mind as he turned to look at Law over his shoulder one last time, his eyes shaded. "Take the heart he gave you and be free," he requested. And then he was gone.

"_Corazon, isn't there any way to heal this? It hurts…"  
_"_No point complainin' about it. The next place will definitely heal ya! Will you be healed or will you die!? Right now, you are braced on the crux of your life!"_

Law swallowed his tears at the barrage of memories, throwing his grief into the struggle of expanding his room as far as he could in his exhausted state. He winced in pain at the effort it took just to wield his power - the power Corazon had given him. The edge of his range was just short of the docks, but he teleported himself as close as he could to the group of pirates fighting to leave the island.

He appeared near Cavendish, whose blonde hair swirled around him and his cape fluttered behind him as he ran. Agony sliced through Law like a hot knife. Corazon's face overlapped Cavendish's while the latter moved and Law froze where he stood, watching his beloved friend's likeness retreat toward the line of ships waiting to carry the pirates to safety. Law shoved his remorse down and forced himself to follow.

"_You're gonna live! To hell with those doctors! All we need is the Ope Ope no Mi! With it, even your amber lead sickness will be cured!"_

Luffy's voice boomed from behind them, snapping him out of his reverie, and he turned to watch as the crazy bastard began fighting Fujitora. He panted harshly and continued toward the ships, knowing there was no way he could be of use to Luffy in his condition. As he clambered up the gangplank and onto the deck of the ship, a man stumbled and fell in front of him, the black overcoat the pirate wore spreading under him. The clumsy act ripped into Law's chest as he was once again reminded of Corazon - splayed on his back after a fall. He doubled over to catch his breath, his heart stuttering with the pulse of his sorrow.

"_You and I won't ever go back to the family again!"_

The world around him seemed to fade as more pirates gathered onto the ship. His vision blurred and he slumped forward onto his knees, Kikoku falling onto the wooden deck next to him with an echoing clang. His hands reached up to cover his ears, attempting to muffle the sound of gunfire - the sound of his closest friend being killed. His breathing hitched and his fingers scraped into his scalp. He needed the sound to stop.

"_Look, Law! I can make it so that nothing makes a sound!"_

"_What's the point of that power! You can't do shit with it!"_

"_But when it comes to a good night's sleep, there ain't anyone that can beat me!"_

Silence! He needed silence! He begged for Corazon's power he had once deemed so useless. He craved it now as shameful terror gripped him and a high pitched whine rang in his ears. The irony was not lost on him and he dissolved into a fit of hysterical laughter, hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

Almost immediately, a pair of arms blossomed from his shoulder blades and wrapped around his front, applying a comforting pressure to his ribs and arms. His eyes squeezed shut and his quiet laughs faded into choked sobs as Robin held him. At the contact, he was able to feel his body again and his senses prickled at her close proximity.

"Law, I understand how overwhelmed you must be, but you have allowed me to get this close to you. There's a time and a place to come to terms with what we accomplished, but you are in danger here," she called, her voice piercing through the wall his mind had erected. He could feel his hands again where they were tangled in the hair next to his ears, his fingers trembling. His chest ached with tightness and he pulled in a ragged breath at the return of the _pain_.

Pain was something he was used to, and it hit him like a palm to the face. He clenched his teeth against his ragged breathing and slowly opened his eyes. His surroundings blurred, but he could smell the smoke in the air and hear the calls of his allies. The ship swayed under his feet as it was bombarded by the waves and by bits of rock falling from the sky.

"_Law, I know you're in pain, but just wait for me there a little while longer! I'll be back as fast as I can!"_

He rubbed the back of his sleeve across his face, gathered himself, and slowly stood up. Ducking his head to hide his eyes under the brim of his hat, he turned to face Robin. Anger and grief warred inside him, but she was right; allowing them to control him at a time like this was dangerous and irresponsible. He could deal with his emotions on his own later. For now, they needed to escape.

It was easy for Law to be distracted for the next few hours. He was occupied by thousands of men aiming to become Luffy's subordinates, and his ally's blatant disregard of their pledge. Then there was the banquet, and Law found himself dragged into drinking with Zoro. It wasn't until he was tired as hell, thoroughly drunk, and completely incapable of thinking straight that he remembered the package.

Stumbling through the door to the bunks below deck of Bartolomeo's ship, Law fumbled around the inside of his jacket until he found the rectangular packet. It was held together by thick twine, and he fumbled with the knot for a few moments. After his inebriated fingers finally worked the tie free, all he had to do was pull the paper away from whatever was inside. But he hesitated.

"_I just feel sorry for you. I know that back then you were the one who stabbed me… but… it didn't even hurt! You were the one who was hurting! All I could do was feel compassion for you, Law!"_

He took a deep breath, his eyes closing as he remembered the kindness and love he had learned under Cora-san's care. This gift was actual proof someone had cared about him - proof that Cora-san had loved him and was willing to die for him. His hands trembled around the package and he rubbed the faded paper between his fingers. Cora-san had touched this wrapping, knotted the twine, and chosen this gift for him.

All he had left of Corazon until this moment had been his memories, and this gift would change that. If he opened this, he would have physical, tangible evidence the man had been a part of his life.

He opened the package and found several folded documents, and behind them, an even tinier item also wrapped in paper. He opted to remove the scripts first, his heart racing in anticipation. He unfolded them and nearly gasped when the title on the top page became visible.

It was his father's medical license. Law's throat tightened as he looked over the paper's fanciful border and seals. It looked so _real_. The medical university's stamp was surprisingly still intact at the top of the paper. He couldn't help but run his fingers over the document's raised outline and the ornate script of his father's signature, still barely visible in faded black ink. It was the _original document from Flevance._

He flipped through the rest of the papers, his heart thundering in his chest. The next few were the deed to his childhood home, his parents' marriage license and birth certificates, and his family's financial and medical records. When he flipped to the last three pages, he froze.

He held a note from Corazon and his and Lami's birth certificates in his hand.

Law's mind reeled as he tried to imagine how Corazon had tracked these papers down. He had thought them all destroyed when the White City was burned. Perhaps the files had escaped with the Royal Family? Or maybe the city's records library had survived the destruction and Corazon had asked someone to retrieve these specific documents? Whatever these items had cost him, Cora-san had paid it.

"_Just look! I'm not even human anymore!"_

Was that what he had said to Cora-san all those years ago? Tears sprung to his eyes as an elated smile spread across his face. This was _his validation_. This was concrete proof he was a person. Trafalgar D. Water Law existed. It said it all right here, on this flimsy, discolored, crumpled sheet of paper; he was _human!_

How had Corazon, a dead man, managed to give him everything he had ever asked for and more? He eyed the tiny round item still wrapped in paper and wondered what could possibly make Cora-san's gift to him any better. So he ripped it open.

The tears pooled in his eyes spilled over as he removed the smooth metal from its wrapping. It was a coin. A shiny gold coin. And on it was the imprint of the Capitol Building of Flevance. His fingers curled around the edge of the coin. It wasn't perfect. It was tarnished around the edges from use and marred by scratches. But he loved it. He loved it so much. As his joy overflowed, he began laughing lightly at the absolute absurdity that was the man Donquixote Rosinante.

He shuffled through the papers once more and pulled Corazon's letter to the front. He set the rest of the documents to the side, but protected the coin in his palm as he took the wrinkled paper into his shaking hands. The weight of the metal against his skin urged him to read his mentor's bequest.

_Well, Law, I guess since you've gotten this letter it means I didn't make it 'til your next birthday. I'm sure you made it though. You're so strong to have made it so far already. But we're going to get the Ope Ope no Mi and you're going to live. You'll save lots of people too, I'm sure._

_I put you through a lot, Law. And I'm sorry if dragging you around to all of those hospitals made you hate me, but I had to do it. I wanted you to live. We had to try everything we could, and even though those doctors were all useless, I have faith the Ope Ope no Mi will be the answer we've been searching for. _

_Sorry I'm such a klutz. I must have gone and died before I could give this to you. I know my man will make sure it gets into the right hands though. Maybe one day you'll even meet the marine I think of as my father. Don't be too rude to him. I know you hate marines, but he's a good guy. I hope that day comes and I hope he isn't too harsh on you, either._

_Law, don't harbor your hatred. Not for me, for the world government, or for Doflamingo. You can live your life the way you want. Be the kindhearted boy your loving mother and father would've wanted you to be. Be strong, for Lami's sake. Be free. And never forget to smile._

_Anyway, I found this coin and it got me thinking. So I called in a favor from an old buddy of mine to see what he could do about getting you these papers. You never said you liked coins, but you're always touching them and you get this look in your eyes when you hold them. Maybe one day you'll even start your own collection! Sorry this note is burned, I accidentally set it on fire._

_Happy birthday, Law!_

_I love you!_

He lowered the letter, his vision blurred with tears, and he smiled wide and earnest. His jolly roger grinned up at him from his naked chest.

"_After all, if one day you're gonna remember me, isn't it better you remember me with a smile?"_

Yes, he thought. It was better to remember his friend with a smile on his painted lips. But Law had no idea one would grace his own lips as well.


End file.
